Friends,
My Bible reading notes this week have been focusing on rivers in the Bible and I often think that those who grow up beside water, be it the sea or a river, always want to get back to the water. The house in which I grew up was called Glenside and the Skipness Burn flowed through the glen and eventually into Kilbrannan Sound. Not one of the world’s great rivers but still quite impressive as it came crashing down the hill after a heavy rainfall. The Bible begins and ends with two rivers – in the book of Genesis the first flows out of Eden to nourish the earth so that it can be cultivated by the first of God’s children, in Revelation the second flows from the throne of God to fill our hearts and souls with life and love. In between we can see the live-giving properties of water, both physical and spiritual, and learn how God’s care for his people extends to all parts of our lives.
Throughout the Bible rivers are places of encounter and healing, of meeting and praying; they are metaphors and symbols, reminding us of the flow of life to and from God. And, of course, our great cities are built on rivers because our ancestors did not see water as a barrier, but rather as the easiest way of travelling from one place to another.
Rivers must not be taken for granted; they need careful management to remain clear and clean. They should not be underestimated; flooding and drought carry equal threat to the well-being of creation. Part of our role as stewards of God’s creation is to tend our rivers so that they in turn maintain our communities. The tragic scenes of floods in Pakistan show what can happen when we fail in our stewardship of the planet and should act as a warning for the future.
A prayer for Pakistan provided by Christian Aid
Compassionate God
Hear our prayer for the people of Pakistan;
For those who have lost their lives in the floods
And for those forced from their homes.
Yet again, God, it is the poorest who are hit hardest.
And those with least who lose most.
Our hearts are heavy with the
Death, distress and destruction we see.
But we are not helpless to act.
God of love and justice:
Call us to generous giving for those in need
And urgent action to combat climate chaos
Let those in need today know what they are not alone
And unite us in hope
For a world where all can live in safety and security.
Amen
William
Live Streaming of Worship
Services can be watched via the church website,
https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/live-stream.
To access the live stream from the homepage (front page) click the Menu button in the top right-hand side of the page and scroll down and click on “Live Stream”. This will bring up the live stream to the church. The act of worship of approximately 60 minutes, includes include prayers, a sermon and music. The words for the hymns will be on the website.
We believe it is really important to continue to live-stream the Morning Service under its current format i.e. for the benefit of those joining worship from afar or those as yet unable to make the journey to Pont Street. For those without internet, the Dial-In facility continues. Many people comment that they do have a sense of worshipping together, even if invisible to each other.
Reminder: If you do not wish to appear on the live-stream please choose a seat in the rear half of the sanctuary.
Please note that the Evening Services on the 1st of the month will not be live streamed as they will take place in the London Scottish Chapel.
Dial into Sunday Service
If you are aware of church members or friends who do not have access to internet please inform them that they can now phone in to join the Sunday service. No visuals clearly, but at least they can hear the service. Those interested should follow:
Step 1: At 10.40am call phone number 0203 051 2874.
Step 2: You will be prompted to enter a meeting ID. Please type (using your telephone keypad) 266 883 5072#
Step 3: You will then be asked for a participant number – simply press the #.
Step 4: Enjoy the service! You will hear the organ music from 10.50am.
Hymns, Music & Readings,
12th Sunday after Trinity Sunday, Sunday 4th September
Hymn 1 How blest are those who do not stray (Psalm 1) (St Botolph)
Hymn 147 All creatures of our God and King (Lasst uns Erfreuen)
Hymn 465 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart (Slane)
Hymn 644 O Jesus, I have promised (Thornbury)
Anthem: I will lay down in peace (T. Teertius Noble)
Musical Interlude: God which has prepared (Mudd)
Organ Postlude: Praeludium in A by Böhm
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Epistle Reading: Philemon 1-21
Gospel Reading: St Luke 14:25-33
Congregational Offerings
Details on the many ways you can support St Columba’s can be found here https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/giving/supporting-st-columbas
Would anyone wishing to contribute to St Andrew’s, Newcastle please contact the Session Clerk on standrewssessionclerk@gmail.com for bank details or other means of donating.
Enquirers’ Course – Autumn 2022
For those interested in meeting with others to find out more about faith and the life of the Church we are running a short series of meetings.
For some this may lead to formally joining the congregation as a member of St Columba’s; others may simply enjoy the chance to discuss. The meetings will be 1-3pm on Sunday 16th October, Sunday 23rd October & Sunday 6th November 2022.
The group are invited to have congregational lunch together on Sunday 16th October. To sign up please contact the Church Office by 1st October.
Rising Living Costs: Help at Hand
We are aware that with the cost of living and fuel costs rising that some of our community may be struggling financially. If you, or someone you know, are in need of help, please do get in touch with the Church Office or the Ministers. All conversations will be held in the strictest of confidence.
Congregational Sunday Lunches, Future Dates
A fine Sunday lunch will be served in the Lower Hall after the service today. Future lunch dates are the 18th September & 2nd October in the Lower Hall. Coffee will continue to be served every Sunday as usual in the Upper Hall. These Hospitality Services are much valued in supporting Fellowship.
Congregational Prayer Time, 10.00 – 10.15am, 2nd Sunday of the Month
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6
After a long pandemic-pause, the monthly congregational prayer time is recommencing, in-person, on Sunday, 11th September, at the new time of 10.00- 10.15am. We meet in the London Scottish Regimental Chapel on the second Sunday of the month.
Usually, the designated leader for the day shares a bible reading and short prayers. There is then the opportunity for others to offer their prayers, either spoken out loud or prayed silently. (There is no obligation to pray out loud.) The prayers are for the ongoing life and work of St Columba’s, the wider Church, our loved ones, and any special concerns for the time. Anyone who feels drawn to pray with others or is curious about doing so, is very welcome. Knowing that members of the congregation are praying together on a regular basis is a great encouragement to others, especially the ministry team. The revised time also permits a cup of coffee before 11am service! See you there.
St Columba’s Book Club
The next book club will be on Monday 5 September at 6.30pm (by Zoom) when we will be discussing Fire Road: The Napalm Girl’s Journey through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness and Peace. It is, as the title suggests, a non-fiction book by Kim Phuc Phan Thi and is autobiographical.
Sounds of St Columba’s
On Sunday 18th September, following the morning service (at 1:30pm), students from Knightsbridge Music will perform in the ‘Sounds of St Columba’s’ series. This informal recital will feature performers of all ages and abilities keen to share a varied repertoire with an attentive audience. There will be a retiring offering for the upkeep of music in the church.
St Columba’s Tennis Club Open Day – Save the date!
This will be on Sunday 25th September during the afternoon, the timing to be confirmed. It will be an afternoon of fun, and it is open to all ages
Christian Aid’s Annual Lecture on Monday 12th September at St Martin-in-the Fields in London.
The lecture – A Force for Good: Co-operating Across Borders in an Age of Authoritarians – will be given by Rt Hon David Lammy MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, followed by a conversation with Christian Aid’s chair, Dr John Sentamu. In his lecture, the Rt Hon David Lammy MP will argue that the UK has a moral duty to return to multilateral engagement to tackle the three greatest challenges the world is facing: climate, conflict and famine.
Doors will open at 6:30pm for a 7pm start. To RSVP please sign up at our Christian Aid Annual Lecture Eventbrite page.
If you have any questions, please contact annual.lecture@christian-aid.org (Note: If you are planning to attend please also notify the Church Office in order to receive some additional material in advance.)
RSDCS Tuesday Socials
From 27 September 2022 a new Scottish dance group will meet on the 4th Tuesday of each month in the Upper Hall. ‘The Tuesday Social’ is aimed at people in (or close to) their 20s and 30s living and working in London. The session will combine great teaching from Gill O’Dell with live music from Adam Brady, lots of dancing, plus a social break with time to relax and chat. Please pass the word to any dancers or would be dancers in your family and social network. St Columba’s has been home to Scottish dancing groups for many years hosting balls, dances and classes for RSCDS London, London Reels, The Highland Club, St Columba’s Dancers, Little Ship and more. St Columba’s Dancers meet on Monday evenings from October to May, London Reels dance on the 2nd Tuesday of each month and RSCDS London’s Mixed Ability class enjoys an afternoon of dance every Wednesday in the Upper Hall.
To learn more about The Tuesday Social, email classes@rscdslondon.org.uk or visit https://www.rscdslondon.org.uk/.
Sir Walter Scott 250: The Annual Caledonian Lecture
Thursday 15th September 2022, 6.00pm, at the Caledonian Club Guest speaker: Professor Sir Tom Devine. There is a warm invitation from the organisers to attend the lecture and dinner. It is open to all. To book, or for more information, contact the Caledonian Club’s Event’s Office at caledonianclub.com
Happy Hour
Happy Hour returns on the 5th October with a session called “Prayer Matters”, we will be joined by Revd Andrew Anderson. We meet at 6.30pm at the Carpenters Arms, 12 Seymour Place which is just behind Marble Arch tube station.
Glass Door Sleepout – Save the date!
The tenth annual sleepout will be on Friday 7th October. You can either take part at Duke of York Square in Chelsea, or virtually, by sleeping out at a location of your choice. If you’re interested, register at glassdoor.org.uk/sleepout
Office Hours
The church office is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Contact details; Tel: 020 7584 2321
E-mail: office@stcolumbas.org.uk
Website: www.stcolumbas.org.uk
Facebook: @stcolumbaschurchpontstreet. Twitter: @LondonKirk
Pastoral Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271